“Always be ready”: XFL star P.J. Walker took advantage of opportunity en route to Panthers
The NFL is not an unfamiliar place for P.J. Walker.
Despite gaining traction in 2020 due to his success in the XFL, Walker signing with the Panthers in March was just the next step in a career that began in 2017 — including two seasons on and off the Colts practice squad and one spent on his couch.
It took leaving the NFL to ignite new interest. The reborn XFL’s clear MVP, before it was shutdown due to COVID-19 in March, took advantage of his first real chance to start a professional game and now he is on the Panthers roster with a shot at the backup quarterback role.
“I just needed the opportunity to grow, show what I can do,” Walker said in a phone interview with The Observer. “Always be ready, always be ready for an opportunity. When it presents itself, take full advantage.”
For Walker that meant finishing his time on the Houston Roughnecks with 267.6 passing yards per game, a 65% completion percentage, 15 touchdowns to four interceptions and 99 rushing yards. While there were many highlight plays, the flashy passes or darts downfield are not what stand out to him.
“I had some great moments in the league. I would say the first victory, our first game of the season, starting the season off (is what stands out). I think that was big for us,” Walker said. “It was also big for me as well just because it was my first win as a professional starter.”
The success he had in Houston almost didn’t happen. After spending the beginning of the 2019 NFL season watching from home, the Steelers reached out to Walker, 25, about coming in for a short-term gig to help them prepare for the Ravens. Instead, he elected to head to the XFL and get an opportunity for significant playing time.
“Absolutely, it was the right decision. I know it was the right decision,” Walker said. “It was good for me to go out there and get an opportunity to play in January, February and March, just to get the experience and being around a group of guys that went the same path as me, trying to accomplish the same thing.”
The experience he had compelled him to write an essay on the XFL for The Player’s Tribune earlier this month. He explained why he feels the league could be valuable for the NFL going forward, in addition to giving players more opportunities to show what they can do than they’d get on the practice squad or watching from the bench.
“A lot of young guys need game experience. I know I needed game experience and you can never get enough game experience, in my opinion,” Walker said. “The practice and everything it translates to the game, but sometimes those things you don’t see in practice. You see a whole different other look in the game. You need that experience to go out there and see it.”
Familiarity led to his choosing the Panthers, despite several other teams being interested in bringing him in, as well. He selected Carolina and his college coach from Temple, Matt Rhule, someone the quarterback describes as a “good guy” and a coach who can “talk really well,” a quality anyone who has heard him give a speech will agree with.
Walker spent four seasons with Rhule at Temple, going from a 2-10 season in his and Rhule’s first year in 2013, to an American Athletic conference championship in their final year with the Owls in 2016. Already Walker has noticed a similarity in Rhule’s message and teaching in the virtual offseason program, but was quick to point out that when success comes “you tend to stick to what you do.”
“When things get tough at some point you’ll be the team that everyone looks at like, ‘those guys battled through adversity to get through the tough times,’” Walker said.
Not only did he join his college coaches in Carolina, but he also reunited with Temple teammates, wide receivers Robby Anderson and Keith Kirkwood and tight end Collin Thompson.
While awaiting the opportunity to actually get back on the field with them, Walker is in Charlotte, throwing into a net and keeping in shape to the best of his ability. While this new gig brings opportunity for him, the Panthers quarterback room has an almost completely new look. He joins Teddy Bridgewater and returning 2019 third-round pick Will Grier to guide the revamped offense under offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
“I just continue to believe in myself. Just believe and trust my process. Trust the way that I’ve always played and always when out there and competed,” Walker said. “I know if you compete at a high level you go a long way.”
